Collapsible packing-case.



F. F. BRADSHAW.

GOLLAPSIBLE PAOKING CASE.

APPLICATION mum 001'. a, 1911.

1,026,379. I Patented May 14, 1 912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES; INVEN TOR.

$910k BY 4 6256 2/ v ATTORNEY.

F. F. BRADSHAW.

COLLAPSIBLE PACKING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED 001. s, 1911.

Patented may 14, 1912.

2 sums-51mm 2.

AINV NTOR. 7M Z W #2 ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES coumnu PLANOORAPM c0.. WASHINDTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT curios.

FRANK F. BRADSHAW, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 F. G. THOMAS, 0F TOPEKA, KANSAS.

COLLAPSIBLE PACKING-EASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK F. BRADSHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Collapsible Packing-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in collapsible packing cases.

The object of my invention is to provide a collapsible packing case which when expanded for use shall have great strength and rigidity, and which when collapsed will be securely held in compact collapsed condition.

Other novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention in its preferred form, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved packing case shown in the expanded and locked condition. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the packing case in the collapsed locked position. Fig. 3 is a top view of the body, the expanded form being shown by solid lines, and the collapsed form being represented by solid and dotted lines. Fig. 4; is a vertical cross section of the packing case when expanded. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section of the packing case shown in the collapsed condition.

Similar reference characters designate.

similar parts throughout the different views. The body consists of two side members 1 the ends of which are hinged to the ends of end members 2 by vertical pintles 3 which extend through interlocking tenons 4: of adjacent members.

Inorder to impart the greatest rigidity to the case, each side member 1 is provided at one end with a right angled portion 5 which extends toward the opposite side member. The lower edges of the side members 1 are provided with longitudinal in- Wardly projecting cleats 6. 7 are provided at the lower edges of the end members 2. A removable member 8, preferably rectangular, is adapted to rest upon the cleats 6 and 7 and serve as a bottom member of the case and to retain the case in the expanded rectangular form, as shown in Fig. 1.

9 designates the top member or cover which is of the same form and size as the Similar cleats bottom member 8 and which is provided on its upper side with one or more transverse cleats 10 which extend laterally over and are adapted to rest upon the upper edges of the members 1. In the drawings I have shown the top member 9 provided with two cleats 10. The top member 9 like the bottom member 8 is adapted to be removably fitted between the body members 1 and 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4:. It thus serves not only as a cover but it helps to retain the case in the expanded form. Suitable means may be provided for releasably locking the top member 9 to the body. In the drawings I have illustrated a preferred form for effecting this function. In the upper edge of each side member 1 are mounted two pairs of eyes 11. The cleats 10 are mounted respectively between the eyes pairs, as shown in Fig. 1. Resilient U shaped clips 12 have their transverse portions extending across the cleats 10 and have their arms extending respectively through the adjacent eyes 11-. Opposite edges of the cleats 10 are provided with recesses 13 in which are respectively mounted the inwardly turned ends of the clips 12 with which said clips are provided. The inner sides of the side members 1 are pro vided with vertical grooves 1 1 in which is removably mounted a partition member 14', which serves to divide the case into two compartments and to retain the bottom member 8 upon the cleats 6 and 7. To increase the strength of the hinge connections between the side and end members, the tenons 4 may be bound with metal strips 15.

To collapse the packing case, the arms of the clips 12 are sprung out of the recesses 13, after which the clips are withdrawn from the eyes 11. The top member 9, partition member 1 1 and bottom member 8 are then removed, after which the side and end members are swung to the positions shown in solid and dotted lines in Fig. 3, in which position the cleats Swill be edge to edge. The top, bottom and partition memhere are then placed between the side members 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, after which the clips 12 are slipped over the upper edges of the side members 1, the inwardly turned ends of the clips being slipped into recesses 16 which are provided in the outer sides of the members 1. The clips 12 in this position serve not only to hold of opposite.

packing case collapsed, but they serve to retain therein the top member 9, the bottom member 8 and the partition member 14:.

My invention may be applied to a number of uses, but it is particularly adapted for use as a shipping case for eggs. The top member 9 and bottom member 8, when the case is expanded, being located between the body members 1 and 2 give great strength and rigidity to the structure.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described as many modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A collapsible packing case, having a body comprising two side members and two end members, two pairs of eyes mounted respectively in two oppositely disposed members of the body, a top member adapted to be removably fitted between the body members and having two laterally extending portions disposed respectively between said pairs of eyes, and two locking devices adapted to extend respectively across said two laterally extending portions and through said two pairs of eyes for releasably looking the top member to the-body.

2. A collapsible packing case having a body comprising two side members and two end members, two pairs of eyes mounted respectively in two oppositely disposed mem bers of the body, a top member adapted to be removably fitted between the body members andhaving a cleat which is adapted to rest upon said two oppositely disposed members and between said pairs of eyes opposite edges of the cleat having recesses, and two U shaped clips having inwardly extending ends and adapted to be removably mounted in said pairs of eyes respectively and when in the said positions respectively extending across said cleat and having their inwardly turned ends extending respectively into said recesses.

3. A collapsible packing case having a body comprising'two side members and two end members .hinged at their ends to the ends of the side members whereby the body may be collapsed or expanded, a .top member adapted to be removably fitted between the body members for holding the body expanded, and means including a U shaped clip for locking the top member to the body when the body is expanded, the clip being adapted to embrace the body at opposite sides thereof to hold the body collapsed.

4:. A collapsible packing case having a body comprising two side members and two end members hinged to the side members at their ends whereby the body may be expanded or collapsed, the outer sides of two oppositely disposed members of the body having recesses, atop member adapted to be removably fitted between the body members for holding the body expanded, the top member having a cleat adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the body, opposite edges of the cleat having recesses, two pairs of eyes in the body and disposed at opposite sides of the cleat,-and two U shaped clips having inwardly turned ends and adapted to be mounted respectively in said two pairs of eyes and to extend across said cleat to hold the top member releasably on the body and in said positions having their inwardly turned ends disposed respectively in the recesses in the cleat, said clips being adapted to embrace said two oppositely disposed body members when the body is collapsed, the clips in the last named positions having their inwardly turned ends disposed in the recesses of said oppositely disposed members, whereby the body is held collapsed.

5. A collapsible packing case having a body comprising two side members and two end members hinged at their ends to the ends of the side members, whereby the body may be expanded or collapsed, a top member adapted to be removably fitted between the body members for holding the body expanded, the top member having a cleat adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the body, and means including two U shaped clips for releasably holding the cleat to the body.

6. A. collapsible packing case having a body comprising two side members and two end members hinged at their ends to the ends of the side members, whereby. the body may be expanded or collapsed, a top member adapted to be removably fitted between the body members for holding the body expanded, the top member having a cleat adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the body, and means including two U shaped clips for releasably locking the cleat to the body, said clips being removable and adapted to embrace opposite sides of the body when the body is collapsed for retaining the body collapsed.

7. A collapsible packing case having a body comprising two side members and two end members hinged at their ends to the ends of the side members, whereby the body may be expanded or collapsed, two oppositely disposed members of the body having inwardly extending cleats, a bottom member and a top member adapted to be removably fitted between the body members for holding the body expanded, the bottom member resting upon said cleats, the top member having a cleat which extends across the upper edge of the body, and releasable means for engaging the cleat of the top member for locking the top member to the body.

8. A collapsible packing case having a body comprising two side members and two end members hinged at their ends to the ends of the side members, whereby the body may be expanded or collapsed, two oppositely disposed members of the body having inwardly extending portions, a bottom member and a top member adapted to be removably fitted between the body members for holding the body expanded, the bottom member resting upon said inwardly extending portions, the. top member having a cleat which rests upon the upper edge of the body, two U shaped clips for extending across and releasably engaging said cleat, and means for releasably securing said clips to the body. A

9. A collapsible packing case having a body comprising side and end members, two pairs of eyes mounted respectively in oppositely disposed members of the body, a top member adapted to be removably fitted between the body members and having a cleat adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the body, the opposite edges of the cleat having recesses, and two resilient U shaped clips each having inwardly extended ends and adapted to be respectively removably mounted in said two pairs of eyes and to extend across said cleat, and when so mounted having their inwardly extending ends mounted in said recesses respectively.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANK F. BRADSHAW.

l/Vitnesses:

E. B. Honsn, WARREN D. I-IoUsE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

